Tpms how it works and its quirks...

[ST Gui]

I have the FOBO TPMS and like that I can know the tire pressures before getting on the bike. And with a good tail wind when the skip is in I get them without even being in the garage. Using an app on my phone is not as quick as turning on a key but close enough for me.

If I had a system that powered on with a key a cool but not really necessary farkle would be a momentary push-button to read the pressures without a key. Not necessary but it's a farkle!

What I wouldn't want to do is get rolling only to find out I need air and turn around or add air on the road. I'd rather do it while both the tires and bike are cold. Get 'er done in the morning and be done with it. I rode for years without a TPMS and thinking about tire (huh that looks low better check) pressure or temperature so knowing pressure before a ride is a big step up for me.

 

[ibike2havefun]

I can know the tire pressures before getting on the bike. And with a good tail wind when the skip is in I get them without even being in the garage.

I'm also a FOBO user. My bike stays parked on the apron of my driveway, maybe 15-20 feet from the house. I routinely get low pressure warnings when my phone is in the kitchen, especially in colder weather.

Even with the TPMS in place and the app running, I still manually check tire pressures before every ride. The FOBO reports 0.5 to 1.0 psi lower than my digital gauge. Which to believe?

 

[ST Gui]

Which to believe?

With that small of a deviation it wouldn't make a difference to me. As long as the reading is consistent you pays your money and takes your chances. Who's to say what gauges are accurate and what aren't. There's probably a calibrated lab-grade tire gauges out there. I've seen a 'review' somewhere of several tire gauges but don't remember what was used for control.

If I had a calibrated control and found out my FOBO units read one pound low I'd continue to use them instead of a dead on gauge and just add an extra pound at fill up. I'll take the convenience and utility of a TPMS over a hand-held digital TPG any day. Unless on a given day the TPMS is just broken.

 

[ibike2havefun]

With that small of a deviation it wouldn't make a difference to me. As long as the reading is consistent you pays your money and takes your chances. Who's to say what gauges are accurate and what aren't. There's probably a calibrated lab-grade tire gauges out there. I've seen a 'review' somewhere of several tire gauges but don't remember what was used for control.

If I had a calibrated control and found out my FOBO units read one pound low I'd continue to use them instead of a dead on gauge and just add an extra pound at fill up. I'll take the convenience and utility of a TPMS over a hand-held digital TPG any day. Unless on a given day the TPMS is just broken.

If ever I replace the angled metal valve stems I put on before I got the FOBO, it will be with the "T" style of stem so that I can leave the FOBO units in place on the tops of the stems and use the side nozzles for checking and filling purposes. Until then, since I have to remove the FOBO sensors to adjust tire pressure, the routine will continue to be:
* remove FOBO sensor,
* measure pressure with gauge,
* adjust pressure as needed, re-measuring with gauge during the process, (and running about 0.5 PSI beyond recommended, to offset the inevitable loss that goes with reinstalling the FOBO sensor)
* re-install FOBO sensor,
* go ride

 

[JPrieST]

If ever I replace the angled metal valve stems I put on before I got the FOBO, it will be with the "T" style of stem so that I can leave the FOBO units in place on the tops of the stems and use the side nozzles for checking and filling purposes. Until then, since I have to remove the FOBO sensors to adjust tire pressure, the routine will continue to be:
* remove FOBO sensor,
* measure pressure with gauge,
* adjust pressure as needed, re-measuring with gauge during the process, (and running about 0.5 PSI beyond recommended, to offset the inevitable loss that goes with reinstalling the FOBO sensor)
* re-install FOBO sensor,
* go ride

Yeah, it really is a pain IF you have to adjust pressures. I decided (after going through this sequence 2 times) that I was not waiting for a tire change and just went ahead and installed the T style. You will be very happy after the fact and wonder why you waited so long!

 

[cdnemsguy]

Here is the setup that I have so the sensor stays put and N2 in, N2 out as needed.

 

[heffly]

Do you have to remove the valve stem to use this type sensor. FOBO, Orange, Minder? Are the ones from Gordon bluetooth capable? I see that FOBO only updates every 15 seconds, ***** it would be over in 15 seconds. Which ones have alarms for rapid deflation?

 

[ST Gui]

The FOBO sensor replaces the valve cap not the stem. FOBO also sells a T-valve stem.

I see that FOBO only updates every 15 seconds, excrement it would be over in 15 seconds.

If you have a leak that empties a tire in 15sec or less you'll know it without an alarm or TPSM and for most people it wouldn't make any difference anyway, compared to whatever you're using now. There are probably more important reasons for choosing a preferred system than the sampling rate but if it's important there are probably better choices for you.